In my essay I will give some information on William Blake's history and also compare five different poems. The poems I will compare are &quot;London&quot;, &quot;The Chimney Sweeper

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Introduction

William Blake In my essay I will give some information on William Blake's history and also compare five different poems. The poems I will compare are "London", "The Chimney Sweeper" (Songs of Innocence) with "The Chimney Sweeper" (Songs of Experience). I will also compare 'The Lamb" with "The Tiger". I will explain the poems first and explain what I thought the poem was about when I read it and using this knowledge I will compare. William Blake was a profound genius to some, and a nutcase to others. A British poet, painter, visionary mystic, and engraver were some of his many occupations. Born in 1757 on November 28th William was the third of five children to a successful London hosier. William grew up in Soho, London where he was first educated at home, chiefly by his mother. From the age of 6, William Blake was amazed and intrigued by spirits; angels and ghosts. He saw and conversed with the angel Gabriel, the Virgin Mary and various other historical figures. Blake was always enclosed in his personal visions and always seemed to be in his own world. His visions and beliefs made William the man he was and the way he is portrayed to the world today. William was deeply influenced by gothic art and architecture and this showed in his work. After finishing his apprenticeship Blake set out to make his living as an engraver. After studies at the Royal Academy School, Blake started to produce his own watercolors and engravings for magazines. In 1782, Blake married Catherine Boucher, the daughter of a market gardener. Blake's life, except for three years at Felpham where he prepared illustrations for an edition of Cowper, was spent in London. Blake's poems were long flowing and had urges of violent energy. They were full of power and moments of tenderness. A poem thought to be like this would inevitably be associated with Blake. ...read more.

Middle

William writes about how the child was forced to work and taught the notes of woe. This is a sad image, as it seems the little child used to be happy and free, but was sent to work as a chimney sweeper and there he learnt the world of sadness and fear. He found out how to cry and be sad which once upon a time he did not know what sad was. However he has been taught to put on a front, to try and cover his sadness and woe with a happy smile so others cannot see that his condition is a sad one. It is like he is playing with death and any moment he could be gone. He feels mentally dead and inside he cannot feel anything but emptiness. In the third stanza, the child talks of how he tries to be happy by dancing and singing; giving the impression to others he is a happy youngster who is looked after well. This is not the case though as William writes: "And because I am happy and dance and sing, They think they have done me no injury, And are gone to Praise God and his Priest and King, Who make up a heaven of our misery". The child is extremely depressed yet it seems no one can see it. He puts on a front to please people but deep down he has been hurt by everyone around him; his parents and God. He has been caused injury and pain and does not see the point in life. He makes himself look happy when in fact inside he is dead already. He has turned his back on God as he feels God has deserted him. He wants to know how the almighty God can bring such pain and hurt to such a young boy who has looked to him for help. ...read more.

Conclusion

He talks of hope and happy things until he realises as he becomes more experienced that life isn't how it seems. You see the poem in the eyes of a chimney sweeper who is doing a dangerous job and who does not understand society. This chimney sweeper once looked to God for hope until he realised that there wasn't any. When he realised this he turned his back on God and lost the will to live. In the Lamb and the Tiger, William writes about a beautiful creature that has been created so perfect and sweet but then he talks of the evil tiger who is feared by most. This shows how once he thought life was like the Lamb, full of love and innocence yet as he became older he comes to terms with the fact God created both good and evil and he can't accept this. To him for most of his life, God was great. Nothing could harm him if God was there but to him this was all fake. This was not the reality he was in. Both poems are focused around society and God. They both result in William coming to terms that all is not what it seemed. Tom is William Blake when he was younger and is open about his feelings and his religion. The Lamb and the Tiger symbolise William when he is older and how he feels. How society has affected his religion dramatically. I think it is sad that William seems to have lost all belief in the one thing that kept him sane for a while. William Blake wants a God that is pure and innocent, not a touch of evil. Evil is not God, evil is for the devil. William couldn't have what he wanted as he saw a God that creates good and bad and didn't see the point in it so he turned his back on religion and I think all these poems really clearly show this and how perhaps political decisions caused a backlash to him. ?? ?? ?? ?? Georgie Oakford - William Blake Comparison Essay ...read more.

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